She was Just 17

[~Tropical Punch 19~]

SCENE 1 (Mallory and her friend enter through the kitchen door)

Mallory. (Giggling) Oh, Laurie you’re hilarious
Laurie. (Giggling) I swear that’s what happened!
Alex. (Aggravated, he slams his hand down on the table) Do you mind? Can’t you see I am trying to study?
Mallory. Sorry Alex. It was just Laurie was telling me a funny story.
Alex. Well, I think a person’s education is more important than a pointless story, of course you wouldn’t know anything about that.
Laurie. Look, Mal, I’ve got to go. Mom wants me back by eight.
Mallory. All right. Bye!
Laurie. Bye! See you tomorrow. (Exits)
Mallory. (Walking over to kitchen table) Gee, thanks a lot Alex. I think you scared her away.
Alex. Me, scare someone away, nah.
Mallory. Well Alex, just to let you know you will be seeing a lot of Laurie. She’s my new best friend. (Starts to set the table)
Alex. Oh, you finally found one.
Mallory. Yeah.
(Elyse, Steven, and Jen walk into the kitchen)
Steven. Hey guys what’s up.
Alex. Oh, Mal, was just telling me about her exciting day in ditz land.
Elyse. Alex! Well what happened Mallory?
Mallory. Oh, well I met a new friend.
Steven. Well that’s good. I’m glad you finally found a friend.
Mallory. Yeah. Me too. I was getting worried that colleges just don’t supply good friends.
Alex. Wow! I’m surprised it’s not even in the Grant College manual! (Starts to laugh)
Jennifer. Is she smart?
Alex. (Starts too laugh again) Jen, is she smart? What a dumb question. Like any of Mallory’s friend’s are smart. You should have seen them just a few minutes ago, laughing like there’s not a care in the world.
Mallory. As a matter of fact Alex, Laurie is smart. She is majoring in economics just like you.
Alex. Wow that’s scary, that really is. What is this world coming to?

SCENE 2 three weeks later… (Mallory and Laurie are in the living room studying, Alex comes down the stairs)

Alex. Hey what’s up?
Mallory. Ah, we are just trying to study.
Alex. Yikes, who knew studying was in your vocabulary.
Mallory. Shut up Alex.
Laurie. So Mallory tells me you are an economic major too.
Alex. (Adjusts tie) Sure am.
Laurie. What’s your average?
Alex. (Blurts out) a 94.563. Which is technically a 95. Yes, I’m third in my class.
Laurie. Oh, really?
Alex. Yeah, what’s yours?
Laurie. Well…
Alex. Oh come on I promise not to laugh.
Laurie. Okay. It’s a 96.73. Which is technically a 97. And I am graduating first in my class.
Alex. (Dumbfounded) Well, at least I don’t go to Grant College.
Laurie. Well, you see after I finish with Grant, I am going to Yale on a full scholarship.
Alex. Let me ask you this, if you are so smart why did you pick to be friends with Mallory?
Laurie. Because unlike you I’m not an uptight yuppie who doesn’t socialize with people who have a GPA of a 3.4 or lower. I also like to have fun. Anyway, it was nice talking but I have to go now. My boyfriend is taking me out in his new Mustang. Talk to you later!
Mallory. Bye, have fun!
Laurie. Thanks, I know we will. (Exits)
Mallory. See, there you go insulting my friend again.
Alex. I wasn’t insulting her I was insulting her through you.
Mallory. Just leave her alone okay. I don’t want you scaring her off. She is b\my best friend, we have everything in common, well except for academics, but anyway we do everything together. Today we went shopping and she introduced me to her cousin, who is really cute. I haven’t been this happy in a long time.

SCENE 3 later that night… (Jennifer is in the kitchen, the phone rings)

Jennifer. (Sarcastically) I’ll get it, no one else bother to get up. Not that I am doing something important. That always happens to the youngest. They are always expected to do everything. (Cheers up) Hello? Uh hold on one second. MALLORY PHONE!!! (Pause) MAAALLLLOOOOORRRRRRRYYYYYYY!! Come on Mal.

(Elyse comes rushing in)

Elyse. Hush, I just put Andy to sleep. I’ll get it. Mallory isn’t here right now.

(Jennifer hands Elyse the phone)

Elyse. Hello? Hi. No she’s not here right now. (Gets a sad tone in her voice) I will. I hope everything turns out okay. Oh, I am sorry. Bye.

Jennifer. What’s wrong Mom?
Elyse. I don’t know how I am going to tell Mallory about this.
Mallory. Tell me about what?
Elyse. I thought you weren’t home.
Mallory. I just came in the front door about two seconds ago. Tell me what?
Elyse. Mallory, your friend Laurie was in a car accident tonight.
Mallory. Oh my gosh is she okay?
Elyse. Honey, She died.
Mallory. What?
Elyse. From what I understand, she was in the car with her boyfriend and they were speeding, and slammed into a truck in front of them. She died instantly. Her boyfriend is in the ICU.
Mallory, Oh, this is so terrible.

SCENE 4 (Mallory’s room. Alex knocks on her door)

Mallory. (Sniffling) Go away!
Alex. Come on I just wanna talk to you.
Mallory. No!
Alex. (Walks in) Hey.
Mallory. (Wipes away tear) Hey. You know you’re not a very good listener.
Alex. I know. Are you okay?
Mallory. No. What did you think I was gonna say?
Alex. I know it’s hard.
Mallory. No! You don’t know. No one knows. She was my best friend. I haven’t had a best friend in like two years and then I finally did and it was gone. Why me. I was doing better in school too.
Alex. Mal, everything happens for a reason. It was just her time to go.
Mallory. Well, maybe it was good for her, but what about me? How am I going to face each day? I am going to be so lonely again.
Alex. No Mallory, you know hat you are going to do? You are going to get up each day, say to yourself, it’s a new day, I am alive, and I am going to face today with confidence. And you will go to school, and be friendly and find a new friend.
Mallory. I can do the first part, but I don’t think I can do the second part.
Alex. Well that’s easy, don’t go looking for someone that you need, but look for someone who needs you. It will be much more easier to do, and it will be more rewarding.
Mallory. What if I can’t stop thinking about her?
Alex. Always think of her, but with happy thoughts-of all the fun times you guys had. Don’t dwell on the bad. And it is okay to grieve for a little while before you start to “face each new day” but don’t drag the sadness on forever.
Mallory. Gee Alex, I didn’t think you could have so much empathy.
Alex. You know where I learned it from?
Mallory. No, who?
Alex. You!
Mallory. Me?
Alex. Yep! I know I tease you a lot, and say your dumb, but you have a lot of sympathy in you, and that’s a good quality, though sometimes I personally don’t like it. I think it’s starting to rub off on me.
Mallory. Thanks Alex.
Alex. No problem. Oh, and Mal?
Mallory. Yes?
Alex. If you tell anybody what I just told you, I will have to kill you.
Mallory. (Laughs) I promise I won’t.

SCENE FADES…. THE END!!!